Buying Football Boots?

Wow! Nobody wants to leave Arsenal!

Laurent Koscielny is and will be remembered as one of the very best defenders to play for the Gunners in recent decades. The Frenchman’s story from unknown defender to a world class international is one that the player, club and manager can all be proud of. Koscielny now wishes to repay Arsenal and Arsene Wenger by stating that he wouldn’t mind ending his professional career with the Gunners.

Koscielny is the latest player to commit his future to the Gunners in the space of a week. Bellerin started the trend by committing his long-term future to the club in the form of a new bumper contract. Francis Coquelin then gave an interview in which he stated that he feels he owes a lot to Arsenal and would be happy to spend the rest of his career at the club. And now for the third time in the last seven days, fellow Frenchman, Laurent Koscielny has also stated his commitment to the club by suggesting he will look to retire at Arsenal.

Koscielny said in a recent interview reported by Sky Sports: “It was Arsene Wenger who had the courage to buy me from Lorient when I was nobody.

“I’d had one year at an average club in Ligue 1 and he took a big punt in bringing me to one of the 10 biggest clubs in Europe. I am in the French national team thanks to the boss and I will be grateful to him my entire career.

“I will finish my career in England or at my old club Lorient but I love living in London. I was 24 when I arrived in England and I had never lived in a big town, so it was a big step into the unknown for me.”

It’s very positive to hear such words come from the Frenchman, after Arsenal have had to fight hard to keep him from the clutches of some of Europe’s biggest clubs. Koscielny has reportedly had offers from the likes of Bayern Munich and Barcelona in the past, but it seems he has never given them any thought in loyalty and respect to Arsenal and Arsene Wenger.

Unlike Coquelin and Bellerin, Koscielny’s career is closer to the end than it is beginning, because at 31 years old his ability to play at the top level, especially in a fast paced premier league, may begin to fall with age. However there is no real concern just yet, with Lolo sure to have at least a few more years at the top with Arsenal.

He’s come a long way at the club, proving to be a well experienced and world class centre back for club and country. It’ll certainly be a tough job for whichever defender has the task of replacing him, when Koscielny does decide to hang up his boots.